Get to know Peter D'Souza

I have been teaching food and beverage courses at University of Wisconsin-Stout for the past 27 years. Stout is known for its hands-on minds-on philosophy of instruction and is a national leader in its programs. My expertise is in the area of full-service restaurant management, culinary management, wines and spirits, wine and food pairing, and professional dining etiquette. I am also the coordinator of "Rendezvous", a full service restaurant managed and operated by senior students in the Hotel, Restaurant, and Tourism Management program.

Before joining Stout, I graduated with a BS and MS degree from the Institute of Hotel Management, Catering Technology and Applied Nutrition in Bombay, India. I was a Chef for Taj Mahal Intercontinental Hotel in Bombay, India and specialized in French, Continental, and Indian Cuisine. I then obtained my Master's in Hospitality and Tourism and Education Specialist courses from UW-Stout. Some of my accomplishments have been the recipient of a gold medal at the National Restaurant Association Culinary Salon in Chicago, and a bronze medal at the International Culinary Olympics (IKA-HOGA) in Frankfurt, Germany. I am also the recipient of the "Chef Herman Breithaupt Foodservice Educator of the Year Award" by the Council of Hotel, Restaurant, and Institutional Educators (CHRIE).

I have taught the International Wine and Food Pairing course at University of the Balearic Islands (UIB) in Majorca, Spain for the last 14 years, Southern Cross University, Coffs Harbor, Australia, and in France (Paris and Bordeaux), Summer 2012. Highlights of each trip were visits to vineyards, wineries and cultural sites. The students are then evaluated on preparing a formal 7 course dinner matching wine with food. Plans are to continue the study abroad programs.